Is limestone strong

Answer 1

It's a rock, so yes it's pretty hard; harder than talc, but softer than diamond - it's comes in between 3 and 4 on Mohs Scale.

Extra Credit

The Mohs scale was developed in France in 1812, hardness is a relative measure - on the Mohs scale one sample is considered to be harder than another if it can scratch it.

1. Talc
2. Gypsum
3. Calcite
4. Fluorite
5. Apatite
6. Feldspar
7. Quartz
8. Topaz
9. Corundum
10. Diamond

For an absolute measure of hardness you can use a Sclerometer which measures the depth of the scratch made by a diamond dragged across the surface of the sample under controlled conditions.

Answer 2

No, far from it. Limestone is actually quite soft, rating only a 3 or 4 on the Mohs scale.

Care should be taken when making generalisations about rock properties.

Hardness is a function of a material's elastic modulus (how much it deforms under a given load).

Limestone (like all rocks) is a natural Earth material. As such it can display a very large variability in properties.

For example limestones can have Young's modulus values ranging from 9 to 70 MPa.[A] This is clearly very variable, but the upper bound values are comparable with values derived for "hard" rocks such as metamorphic hornfels and the coarser grained igneous rocks such as granite, whereas the lower bound values are very soft indeed by rock standards.

So to answer the question, no, limestone is not the hardest rock, however some types of limestone can be classed with some of the hardest rocks, whereas other types may be some of the softest.

[A] Bell, F. G. (2007). Basic Environmental and Engineering Geology. Dunbeath, Whittles Publishing Limited.

Answer 3

Limestone is a very strong rock and is used for the constructions of buildings and even some skyscrapers.

Answer 4

No. The weakest Rock in the world is most likely the shale rock, as it isn't really a solid rock and has a lot of layers (plates) of rocks, therefore making it weak.

Answer 5

Yes it much harder